RR Log 01.31.10

Breakfast:
-3/4 cup nf p gs yogurt
-1/2 cup granola

Lunch:
-spinach salad topped with tuna salad:made with cranberries, pecans and mayo. and tomatoes.

Dinner:
-1/2 cup potato leek soup with 1/2 piece of bacon crumbled on top
-1 collard leaf stuffed with a mixture of leeks, carrot, celery, brown rice, hazelnuts & cashews served with a roasted red pepper sauce with white beans

Snacks:
-1 banana
-a ton of tortilla chips with either guacamole or hummus. too much.
-2 ginger chews & 2 squares of dark chocolate

Drinks:
-1 cup black tea
-1 glass white wine

Exercise: Nope. Not today. Naw.

Notes: I wish the Y opened before 9 on Sundays, it is bound to mess me up for a while because I usually have to work. Made a nice dinner with my cousin and her boyfriend. The recipe turned out to be more laborious than we thought, but the result was good!

RR Log 01.30.10

Breakfast:
-1/2 cup nonfat plain greek style yogurt with 1/4 cup granola (before gym)
-breakfast sandwich with 1 egg, 1/4 avocado, tomato & 1 slice turkey "bacon" on multi-grain sandwich thin

Lunch:
-1 Boca spicy "chicken"patty with leftover mustard dressing concoction from last night
-1/2 cup short grain brown rice
-1/2 cup steamed broccoli

Dinner:
-blackened catfish
-mashed sweet potatoes
-sauteed spinach
-"Yankee" slaw

Snacks:
-1 almond quinoa muffin
-2 baked corn tostadas topped with black bean hummus, guacamole & salsa
-10 almonds

Drinks:
-2 cups black tea

Exercise: Spent an hour at the YMCA today: 30 minutes on elliptical level 7, set to "random" (heart rate between 150-160.) 30 minutes resistance training using machines, upper and lower body BAM! This means I made it to the gym 5 times this week, which is pretty great.

Notes: I just found those delightful baked tostadas at Armitage Produce, and so I had to try one as soon as I got home. They are only 40 calories each with 1/3 of a gram of fat (insignificant? yes.) It was crispy and pretty good all piled up, I look forward to making some little Mexican pizzas, just like Taco Bell, except I won't have a spork to eat it with. Also, I went out to dinner tonight at Wishbone with two of my favorite professors who were on my MFA committee! A fantastic surprise to find them in town tonight. The food was good but I know those potatoes were loaded with butter and brown sugar.... eh, it was worth it. I did manage to avoid the beers at the art opening, so a pat-on-my-own back for that!

RR Log 01.29.10

Breakfast:
-1 multigrain sandwich thin with 1/4 avocado, tomato, 1 egg & romaine lettuce

Lunch:
-Big 'ole baby spinach salad with tomatoes, red onion & 1/2 cup tuna salad: canned tuna, pecans, dried cranberries & mayo
-1 almond quinoa muffin

Dinner:
-1 crab cake on a bed of romaine with tomatoes and about 1 tbsp. of some homemade mustard dressing

Snacks:
-some dried cranberries and 1 tbsp. peanut butter (before gym)
-3/4 cup nonfat plain Greek style yogurt with 1.5 tbsp. honey
-10 almonds
-popcorn with butter, parmesan, salt & pepper

Drinks:
-1 cup black tea
-1 cup green tea
-1 white wine spritzer

Exercise: 30 minutes on treadmill: 15 running at speed 6.5 (heart rate above 160) and 15 walking at speed 4 incline 5+ (heart rate above 150.)

Notes: First off, Matt has GOT to stop making popcorn every night. He is kind of a pro, and it is damn near irresistible! Other thought- not sure what my target heart rates should be when I am working out. I like to vary it, it seems somewhere in the 150-160 range is challenging without being too hard, when I hit above 160 I can't go as long and have to take it down. I assume that my body knows what is best, so I try to listen to it! I am going to try to do some research on cardio, aerobic and anaerobic exercise.... will report back when I know more. Suggestions welcome!

RR Log 01.28.10

Breakfast:
-2 slices uncured bacon
-2 eggs scrambled with red peppers and green onions
-1 sprouted grains english muffin
-2 tbsp. unsalted peanut butter

Lunch:
-1 sprouted grains tortilla with a sunshine veggie burger, lettuce, red peppers, onion, cilantro, avocado and greek yogurt
-a few bites of leftover spicy green papaya salad

Dinner:
-spicy chicken, short grain brown rice, steamed broccoli

Snacks:
-about 8 slices of dried mango
-stove popped popcorn with salt, pepper & parmesan cheese

Drinks:
-1 cup black tea
-1 cup green tea
-1 glass white wine

Exercise: Nah, kicked it in Urbana today.

Notes: Luckily my pal Christine is a healthy eater, so I don't think I sabotaged myself too hard in Urbana. Totally splurged though and we made bacon for breakfast! I do want to make it to the gym tomorrow, Saturday & Sunday if I can to try to even the score.... however it just got COLD as all HELL and it is going to take something extra to get me there!

RR Log 01.27.10

Breakfast (before gym):
-2 slices dried mango
-8 oz. of my favorite homemade smoothie with orange juice, ginger, pineapple, banana and carrots
-1/2 cup plain greek style nonfat yogurt
-1/2 cup flax plus granola

Lunch:
-1 Cup Lebanese greens soup
-1 sprouted grains tortilla with goat cheese, red pepper, onion & lettuce

Dinner:
-1/2 of sushi roll (3 or 4 pieces) with smoked salmon, eel, caviar, cream cheese, avocado & asparagus
-1/2 cup green papaya salad
-1/2 curry mock duck with steamed rice (shared dinner entree)

Snacks:
-leftover tofu & veggie stir fry with soba noodles
-10 almonds

Drinks:
-1 cup black tea
-1 cup green tea
-1 glass red wine
-2 glasses white wine

Exercise: FORCED myself to hit the Y this morning before going out of town. Did the treadmill for 30 minutes, mostly walking at speed 4.2 with the incline set to 5. Did 2 5 minute intervals of running to get my heart rate up, then my settings for walking kept my heart rate above 150. I am a little off-balance today (ladiezzz ya feel me?) so I didn't want to push it.

Notes: I went to Urbana, IL to spend the night with my friend Christine, which accounts for the wine guzzling! At dinner I ate until I was FULL. Uncomfortably full. We had to sit there for a minute! No regrets, I just know if I want to see the same weight loss I have been I have to step it up this week to make up for my gluttony... because hell yeah we are making bacon for breakfast tomorrow!

Best. Workout. Song. Ever.

Soooo I was working it OUT on the 'mill today and just about to press "cool down" when this little beauty came on the trusty old iPod. Clocking in over 4 minutes, I kept the sweat up and DAMN does this song make you feel good!

I Believe In Miracles by the Jackson Sisters. (this link is to someone's homemade video, but the song is the one!)

Enjoy!

Advice from my little brother

My brother Sean in 2005 at 225 lbs and at Christmas this year at 170.

I called my little brother for his 22nd birthday the other day and on the phone we were chatting about this little Treadmillionaires project and about health and fitness in general. Sean just recently experienced some major weight loss himself, going from 6'1" 225 lbs down to a trim 170 lbs.

Now granted, he was younger when he was "chubby" (he really wasn't that chubby, but it definitely wasn't muscle making him weigh 225.) Now he lives a very active lifestyle and his new 32" pant size is a result of that. I asked him his secret and he responded with some profound advice:

"You have to be active every day. You can't just go to the gym once or twice a week and expect to get fit and lose weight. You need to find something you really love doing, too. For me, it's basketball. I try to play basketball every day. I hate going to the gym. It's boring and monotonous."

He's right. Jumping on a treadmill once in a while isn't going to do much; if you really want to get fit and stay fit you have to adjust your lifestyle to be active every day. For the time being I'm doing more than the average joe...meeting with a trainer once a week and going to the gym three times inbetween sessions. But will I still be doing this five years from now?

Sean lives in Florida which means he has many more opportunities to be outdoors in nice, warm weather and do active things. I stay bundled up in my Chicago office for the majority of the year sitting in my chair doing nothing but typing all day.

But I can't get the words "every day" out of my head. I've been trying to think of things I can do to accommodate this philosophy and so far here are some ideas I've come up with:

1. Always take the stairs. Always. And take them as FAST as possible, to get the heart beating.
2. Avoid automatically opening doors. Is it really that hard to just open them yourself and use a little muscle in the process?
3. Get off a stop early and walk. I try to do this when I have time. There used to be posters around Chicago with Magic Johnson's photo on it recommending this. A simple step that makes a world of a difference in your day-to-day.
4. Walk fast. Living in the city means a lot of walking. Why not do it at a pace that'll burn more calories each time?

5. At work, meet in person.  The other day I had the option to discuss something with a colleague over the phone or go to their office one block away.  Meeting in person, even if it's just down the hall to another cubicle, burns a lot more calories than picking up a phone or writing an e-mail.

6. Sleep.  What does this have to do with staying active?  Well, if you're tired all day because you didn't get a good night's sleep, you're a lot less likely to add these little things to your routine and you'll take the easy route more often.  So rest up!  You got a busy and active day ahead of you!

What do you do to be active every day?

DB's log 01.26.2010

Breakfast:
-Cinnamon Puffins cereal with 2% milk

Lunch:

-Tuna Nicoise salad: vinaigrette greens, seared ahi tuna slices, 1 hard boiled egg, a few kalamata olives, 2 fingerling potatoes, 3 steamed asparagus.  A hell of a salad!  Went to Mike Ditka's for lunch with my boss.

-1 roll with butter

Snacks

-1/2 cup lowfat cottage cheese

Dinner:

-crab salad: baby spinach, arugula, basil, lump crab meat, onion, olive oil, balsamic vinegar

-two slices french bread

Beverages:

-1/2 glass white grape juice (blech, too sweet!)
-4 glasses water

Exercise: went to the gym this morning and did 20 minutes of cardio (I would have done more but I would have been really late to work). Tonight: the PT came over and tonight's goal was CARDIO.  I ran up and down the stairs in my apartment building (3 floors) TEN TIMES.  Four times with weights.  If that won't get your heart rate up, I don't know what will.  I finally got ahold of a exercise ball.  There's lots of cool stuff you can do but you need good balance.  This week's work out goals: 3x cardio, 4x 25 sit-ups.

Notes:  feeling good although I feel like I've hit a plateau already.  The scale keeps saying the same thing in the morning.  I'm not gaining, so that's good.  I feel great and already it seems like my clothes are feeling just a tad bit better.  Maybe it's muscle mass?

RR Log 01.26.10

Breakfast:
-breakfast sandwich: one egg, 1 slice turkey "bacon," 1/4 avocado, 2 sliced grape tomatoes, salt & pepper on multi-grain sandwich thin

Lunch:
-AHHH! No time. Snacked instead.... Bad me!

Dinner:
-2 fish tostadas
-chips and guacamole

Snacks:
-2 slices dried mango (before gym)
-1 banana
-10 raw almonds
-baked sweet potato "fries" with 1 tbsp. ketchup
-a few pita chips and hummus

Drinks:
-1 cup black tea
-1 cup green tea
-2 shots of whiskey

Exercise: Got up and hit the gym for over an hour today. I did 20 minutes of running at speed 6.5 on the treadmill (heart rate 160), followed by an additional 20 minutes at speed 4 and incline 4 (heart rate 150) + the obligatory warm-up and cool-down. I then did 25 minutes of resistance training using various machines to work my upper and lower body.

Notes: Felt great after going to the gym today, mostly because I had an official weigh-in (I weigh myself "officially" once a week on the same day, around the same time, wearing the same thing) and I have lost 6 lbs! I feel great about my pacing, I have lost a steady 2 lbs. a week since I started this thang. Unfortunately, after that small triumph I missed lunch, and had a banana, almonds and green tea instead. I think it worked out Ok because I ate dinner early. Went out to eat with friends at Big Star and those fish tostadas were deeeelicious with fresh radishes and avocado, small but filling. Absolutely no regrets about this outing, including the whiskey! I did come home on somewhat of a high though and totally ate those sweet potatoes, chips & hummus.... c'est la vie!

Diet Week 3: Feeling Like a TREADMILLIONAIRE

Official weigh-in this morning revealed that I have lost 6 lbs. in the past 3 weeks! That is a smooth and steady 2 lbs. a week, which is exactly my goal. I feel really confident! The past few days I have been feeling shit-tay and getting up this morning and going to the gym really made my day. I guess even if other things in my life are out of control right now at least I feel like this is one thing I am in control of. I feel like I have been working for it, even though sometimes it feels easy... I actually love healthy foods.

I am thinking a lot about the long-term these days. I guess I realized that I actually made this decision a while ago. Though I got out of the habit of exercising as regularly, since I initially lost weight about 1.5 years ago I haven't gotten back there. I decided to start this plan before I got there. So this time, I am dieting and working out with a 10 lb. lead on the last time I had to diet.

I should probably be clear about how I feel about the term "diet." I think of it as generally the food you eat every day, but I have been using it as of late in the way it sounds= I am trying to lose weight. I am trying to be healthier.

I do think the way I am eating is a sustainable everyday diet for me, I am not on any sort of crash mess. I am eating food I enjoy, just a lot less than I used too.

Anyways, I just wanted to check in, as I have been sort of doing that once a week.

Thanks for reading!

DB's log 01.25.2010

Breakfast:

-1/2 cup Greek yogurt with blueberries and chia

-1 piece toast with sunflower jelly

Lunch:

-leftover pad thai with shrimp

Dinner:

-Tilapia and shrimp with cajun seasoning

-red beans and brown rice

-3 slices french bread

-1 slice cinnamon sweet cake

Beverages:

-half cup coffee with half and half and honey

-water

Exercise:  I was suppose to hit the gym tonight but my boyfriend came back from his business trip with a broken wrist and I spent the evening helping him out.  I am planning on going tomorrow morning.

Notes: No snacking today--too much of a pain to deal with the braces.  I did have coffee but then I had to brush my teeth and all that jazz.  The cinnamon sweet cake was something I picked up from the store so my bf would have some sort of indulgence after dinner (which was horrible, btw...really bad red beans and rice recipe) while experiencing all this pain.  I had a small slice with him and considering I really didn't eat all that much today I didn't feel too bad about it.

RR Log 01.25.10

Breakfast:
-3/4 cup nonfat greek style plain yogurt
-1/2 cup flax plus granola

Lunch:
-1 cup broccoli potato soup (from last night)
-salad with baby spinach, feta, tomatoes and Annie's lite mustard vinaigrette
-1 almond quinoa muffin

Dinner:
-leftover tofu & veggie stir fry over buckwheat soba noodles

Snacks:
-2 cups of stove-popped popcorn with salt, pepper and parmesan cheese

Drinks:
-1 cup black tea

Exercise: Not today, see notes.

Notes: I am still full of stress and negativity! I haven't been sleeping well, and so I didn't push going to the gym this morning in trade for more sleep. Then, I was going to go straight from work and the parking lot was full- I just couldn't do it. I couldn't handle having to fight for a treadmill. Not today for this sourpuss!!!

Game Changer: Invisalign

day one with Invisalign!

One of the reasons for my desire to get fit and lose some weight is because after years and years with wonky teeth I'm finally getting them fixed. Although some argue that the gap in my teeth is "cute," "adds to my personality," or is "sexy like Lauren Hutton's," I have been wanting this for a long, looong time.

And I want to feel good and look my best in 12 months when my smile transformation is complete!

My Invisalign braces arrived on Friday and they've caused a HUGE change in much of my day to day routine, especially regarding food. I have to wear them 22 hours a day and the only thing I can consume when they're in is water. No tea, no juice, coffee, etc. I have to take them out any time I eat, and I have to brush my teeth before putting them back in. This just about eliminates grazing and unnecessary snacking.

The dental assistant told me one of the side effects of Invisalign in addition to a nice smile: weight loss!

So we'll see what happens. I'm really going to miss my daily iced tea that I usually keep at my desk at work, but so far it's amazing how much less I've been doing mindless snacking.

DB's log 01.24.2010

Breakfast:

-Steel Cut Irish oats cooked in milk, with blueberries

Snack:

-1 banana

Dinner:
-a few bites pad thai (didn't have time to eat!)
-3 Moroccan hot wings and two potato wedges

Drinks:
-water
-Half a Tom Collins (gin, lemon, soda)

Exercise: Got up in the morning and hit the gym with RR and it felt great! Did 26 minutes of sweaty, heart-beating cardio on the treadmill while listening to music and watching "Walk the Line" on the treadmill's tv. Awesome. Spent the rest of the day running around and did laundry which meant several steps up and down to the laundry room...I did them as fast as I could every time to work up my heart rate.

Notes: still didn't eat that much because I was so busy all day, but I did have some no-no hot wings at this completely lame awards ceremony I had to attend. The drink was from that too. It was much needed medicine! In the end I didn't finish it because I'm trying to cool it with the booze. One of the easiest ways to get fat, too much booze.

RR Log 01.24.10

Breakfast:
-2 eggs
-1 slice turkey bacon
-baked sweet potato "fries"

Lunch:
-1 cup white bean & kale soup
-1 whole wheat sandwich thin with 1/4 avocado
-1 banana

Dinner:
-cup of vegan broccoli potato soup (recipe from Veganomicon)
-2 slices of homemade pizza with whole wheat crust, green onion, serrano peppers, tomatoes and cheese

Snacks:
-2 slices dried mango (before gym)
-chips with guacamole

Drinks:
-2 cups black tea
-2-3 glasses of red wine

Exercise: 28 minutes elliptical on level 7, "random" workout

Notes: I burned off some serious negative energy at the gym today. It was weird, but good. I knew I would be going straight from work out with a pal so I packed a lunch so I wouldn't be tempted! My main weaknesses today were those chips & guacamole and the red wine! I couldn't turn it down, it was a nice mellow red my friend brought back from her trip to Chile. I know, I know. I am living good over here!

DB's log 01.23.2010

Breakfast:

-1/2 cup Greek yogurt with honey and chia seeds

-1 banana

Dinner(?):

-1/2 cup black quinoa

-Kashi Autumn Wheat cereal with milk

Beverages:

-water, not much though

Exercise:  zoink!

Notes:  Soooo...I had a la-haaay-zy Saturday, big time.  I literally spent the whole day in bed, watching videos on YouTube and Hulu.  Kind of a weirdo day, we'll just call it fasting.  Didn't eat much, didn't do much.  Felt good to be a sloth, but definitely not something I could do every day!

RR Log 01.23.10

Breakfast:
-omelette with 3 egg whites, sauteed leeks and red peppers, and nonfat feta cheese
-baked sweet potato "fries" tossed with olive oil, salt & pepper
-1 tbsp. ketchup

Lunch:
-1 Boca spicy "chicken patty on whole wheat sandwich thin with lettuce and 1/2 tbsp. mayo
-side salad of romaine lettuce with Annie's lite mustard vinaigrette

Dinner:
-Whole Foods salad & hot bar, hard to quantify, a bite of this and a bite of that....

Snacks:
-1 banana
-hummus and multigrain rice crackers
-1 cup chocolate fat-free ice cream with peanuts on top
-some pistachios, some mixed nuts

Drinks:
-2 cups black tea
-2 Maker's Mark, neat

Exercise: I slept in today.

Notes: Egg white omelettes are realllllly gross. Maybe there is trick to them I don't know about, but I figure it is just that all the good stuff is in the yolk! I suffered through because I don't waste food. I am getting bitchy and snacky, which means one thing. Man, I felt like a huge grump all day.

DB's log 01.22.2010

Breakfast:
-Irish oats with blueberries, chia seeds, honey and a little milk on top

Lunch:
-5 steamed potstickers from Wow Bao (3 green vegetable, 2 chicken)
-1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt

Dinner: 

-3 oysters on a half-shell

-mussels in some heavenly beer-laden broth

-bread and butter

-french fries with cracked egg on top

-bread pudding with sour cream ice cream

Snacks:

-1/2 cup cottage cheese

Beverages:
-Hibiscus iced tea

-water (can't remember how much)

-1 old-fashioned

-1 glass of Reisling wine

Exercise:  no gym today, but lots and lots of stairs.  Lots.

Notes: Went out to THE PUBLICAN for dinner with a friend I haven't seen in months and we kind of lived it up (especially since he knew the owner and got us a discount).  Ho-ly crap.  Amazing food.  I let him order since he knew what was popular there, but unfortunately it meant indulgence on some high-fat things like french fries.  We got so full on the mussels though that we never ordered a main course.  I wouldn't take back the experience, but I will hit the gym later tonight to cancel out the calories.  They say it's one of the best restaurants in the country and I wouldn't disagree.

RR Log 01.22.10

Breakfast:
-1/2 cup nonfat Greek style yogurt
-1/2 cup flax plus granola
-handful of dried cranberries (before gym)

Lunch:
-salad: baby spinach with nonfat feta cheese, grape tomatoes & 1 tbsp. Annie's lite honey mustard vinaigrette
-small bowl of white bean & kale soup
-1 almond quinoa muffin

Dinner:
-tilapia steamed in parchment paper with olive oil, garlic, tomato, red peppers, lemon
-1/2 cup manomin
-Alaskan king crab legs! What??? I KNOW. Dipped in butter, I mean, if ever there was an excuse for butter....

Snacks:
-1/2 cup mixed raw nuts: almonds, pepitas, cashews, walnuts
-2 slices of Trader Joe's spiced dried mango (holy shit they are GOOD! a new favorite!)
-1 cup coconut milk "ice cream" (chocolate almond something flavor)
-4 tiny squares of a mini Green & Black's Maya Gold dark chocolate bar

Drinks:
-2 cups black tea
-1 glass red wine

Exercise: Day 4 at the gym for me this week! I just did cardio today on the elliptical set at level 4 and workout "random." 30 minutes high-intensity (heart rate above 155) with the obligatory 5 min. warm-up and 5 min. cool-down.

Notes: Whoa, crab is pretty fucking good. Matt's parents gave us the crab as part of our Christmas present, which sounds strange, but now I get it! The tilapia I made turned out good, maybe too much lemon... I think some capers might have balanced it out also.

Online Calorie Tracker!!

Soooo we have been really good about writing down everything we eat, and then I find this!

I decided to try it out, and I was pretty happy because when I searched for foods I eat- they were actually in there! Even quinoa and my Trader Joe's yogurt! I entered in what I ate today and clocked in at 1494 calories. Not bad I guess especially because I worked out a little today too. I was surprised to see I had eaten more protein and sugar than I thought, apparently more than my "daily value."

I still want to post on here, and I don't want to be obsessive about calories. However, whenever I am wondering it will be fun to plug in my diet and see what comes up calorie-wise. You should try it! It definitely is a better tool than Activ Trax. Did I tell you about the crappy "meal plans" on Activ Trax? Don't get me started.....

RR Log 01.21.10

Breakfast:
-that little egg sandwich I have become rather fond of this week, see previous posts.

Lunch:
-salad: big pile of baby spinach and romaine with red onion, grape tomatoes, nonfat feta cheese, sunflower seeds and Goddess dressing
-3/4 cup cooked quinoa with salt & pepper

Dinner:
-1 bowl of white bean and kale soup
-1 piece of garlic naan

Snacks:
-5 almonds
-handful of grapes
-1 banana
-1/2 cup Greek style yogurt with 1 tbsp. honey
-1 almond quinoa muffin (fresh baked! i had to have one right out of the oven)

Drinks:
-1 cup black tea
-1 cup green tea

Exercise: Did 35 minutes on the treadmill today, not as fully awake as I would have liked! I did about 15 minutes running and 10 minutes at a fast-paced walk on an incline, and of course my warm up and cool down. I also did about 25 minutes of resistance training.

Notes: Today I am just a little sore, just enough! Especially my triceps.... I tried to work different muscles today than I did yesterday, there are still some machines that look scary to me though! Also, when I weighed in today I was even a pound lighter! Could I be at the 5-pound mark or is it just a fluke?.... We'll see how it is tomorrow. I am feeling really good today and I am loving my routine now that I am settled into it!

DB's log 01.21.2010

Breakfast:
-Kashi Autumn Wheat cereal with 2% milk

Lunch:

-chicken wrap: red lettuce, cucumber, apples, blue cheese, carrots, grilled chicken breast, honey mustard vinaigrette, flour tortilla.

Dinner:

-4 hot wings

-side salad with balsamic vinaigrette

Beverages:

-small green tea latte with skim milk and a little sugar
-3 glass of water

Snacks:

-1 banana

Notes:  I *seriously* eat so much less when I'm solo--so weird.  I went out to dinner with a friend tonight to a place that sometimes serves super cheap hot wings.  Dave and I used to go with our neighbors and we called the evening of greasy fingers/faces the "chicken chomp."  And boy howdy would we chomp!  Tonight when I went I managed only four wings, a record low.  I barely touched my salad because it was some nasty iceberg lettuce concoction.  Today I am very sore, but not as debilitated as last week.  Maybe because I'm eating more bananas?

Exercise: no time for the gym today as I had to be at work super early and then had plans after.  Thinking about going tomorrow morning.  But I did a lot of walking and took the stairs up to my third floor office several times today.

DB log 01.20.2010

Breakfast:

-Steel cut Irish oats with blueberries, banana, chia seeds and a dash of milk

Lunch:

-Greek salad: romaine, feta cheese, olives, cucumbers, peppers, and some garlicky ass dressing

Dinner:

-two chicken tacos with cheddar, sour cream, potato, and corn tortillas

-one tangerine

Snacks:

-butterscotch dum-dum

Beverages:

-brewed iced tea, no sugar

-2 glasses water

-vodka gimlet

-whiskey and ginger ale

Exercise:  Hit the gym after work tonight...loved it!  Did 20 minutes of cardio with an extended cooldown...about 35 minutes total.  I attempted to get up this morning but I am still fighting off a mini-cold and decided I shouldn't skimp on sleep if I think I'm coming down with something.

Notes: my neighbors invited me over for chicken tacos and they were great and probably a lot healthier than regular beef tacos.  They served me up a vodka gimlet and then we went out to Danny's for a night cap.  Blast this town in the winter and its pressure to drink!  It's Wednesday!  Who knows, maybe this blog will reveal that I'm actually an alcoholic.  Haha.  Both drinks were really small though and I didn't even finish the one I got at Danny's.

I have some great ideas for posts that I hope to get up here soon...work has been insanely stressful this week.  Going to the Y straight from my office was very, very, very relieving though.  Yay, exercise.  

Update: Diet Week 2 + Looking Back

Well, I am a solid 2 weeks (and 2 days) into my commitment to my health! I did a weigh-in this morning at the YMCA and (drumroll puhleeze...) I have dropped a solid 4 lbs! I know the first few go pretty easy and quickly, and I will hit a plateau eventually....... but hey, let's focus on the positive, Ok? 4 lbs! YAY!!

I thought I should share some backstory/body/diet/exercise history to put this whole game into perspective. I have never been hugely overweight, but I have always carried a little more than necessary, and in the worst place- my gut. GUT. That's what it is, I call it by it's true name! I have read a little here and there- enough to pick up on the truth that this is the worst place to carry weight, that belly fat is a really bad sign. Think about all the important organs just trying to do their thing in there!

Soooooo when I gain, that's where it goes first. Because I generally have skinny arms and legs and narrow hips, having a sizable trunk is kind of weird looking. I am embarrassed to say that I have been asked if I was pregnant 3 TIMES in my life. They each stand out clearly in my memory, and thankfully they were a long time ago, when I reached probably the most I have ever weighed, a good 20 lbs. more than I do now. For the record I have never been pregnant, not even for an instant! It is really gross to be asked that. I cannot describe how terrible it feels to be asked that! Ahem. Now, since this is where I gain first, it is also where I lose last. I have never once seen an Ab muscle, or ever experienced a completely flat stomach. I accept it somewhat as part of my body type, and try not to get all obsessive about it, however, I often wonder just how skinny I could become.

Food

I was raised on macaroni and cheese..... and Wendy's. If you doubt this, I will gladly refer you to the autobiography I wrote when I was 9, the last line of which clearly states (as if some profound thing you must know about me):

"Whenever I go to Wendy's I always get the same thing."

WTF???? Really. If I were to guess, I would say that "thing" I always ordered was a Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger "extra greasy please!"

I was also known as "The Ziti Kid" because of how frequently I was allowed to eat baked ziti from Sabarro's in the food court at the mall. Come to think of it, most of my food memories come from eating out with my family, not eating in. There were the Shirley Temples and little chicken wings I would get on my birthday at my favorite Chinese restaurant, the double scoops of ice cream at Baskin-Robbins if I got an "A" on my spelling test (which I did, every Friday!) And how can I forget the endless supply of fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, yeast rolls and soft serve at our local Quincy's?

*sigh*

So how the hell did I become the adult I am today eating raw nuts and quinoa and enjoying ethnic foods and able to drive by Wendy's without a single urge to eat that crap (well, most of the time...)? To tell you the truth, I kind of have no idea. I went on and off vegetarian for years, which did get me cooking and eating vegetables. My sister has always been a healthy eater, and we used to make fun of her and call her a "health nut" but then, hey! I realized that she was also the only one in our family who isn't overweight. I would occasionally have other health nuts in my life, and I began to respect people who worked out and ate well, and I eventually decided to become one myself I guess. Also influential would be countless books on food and diet, which I can't ever really get enough of. I will make a post dedicated to some of my favorite food and cookbooks in the future.... but really, I think I had to educate myself, and it is the work of a lifetime with the way food is studied, packaged, processed and prepared these days.

Exercise

I stepped into a gym for the first time in my life at age 30. Seriously. One beautiful and amazing summer, also known as "The Best Summer of My Life," I took 2 summer classes and got a school loan but didn't get a job. I hired a personal trainer and started walking for an hour every day by the lake (this was when I lived in Madison, WI for grad school.) I was eating great, and drinking less. I lost over 15 lbs. that summer, and I think might have been in the best shape of my life. When I went to the doctor and they weighed me in, the computer flagged me for losing so much weight (I had lost 19 lbs. from the last time I went for a checkup!)

That was the best feeling ever. And is pretty much what I am going for, however I don't have as much weight to lose now. In that Summer Of Everything Amazing And Great, I made some pretty good habits that have more or less stuck with me. I feel I have a pretty good grasp on healthy cooking and eating, it is usually portion control and stress eating that are my faults. And exercising regularly.... I still have some work to do there!

In this post, I really just wanted to sort out some of my thoughts around eating. I have by no means been comprehensive about my health history here, just some looking back at certain scenarios that have made me who I am today and what my challenges are. I feel I am constantly having to work against my "programming" which reaalllllly wants to eat fried chicken and macaroni and cheese every night.....

It's tough work, but rewarding already. This blog is an immensely helpful tool on this journey. It gives me a sense of accountability, which sometimes I lack. It gives me a place to record my diet/food choices so I can start to understand my own relationship to food. Most of all, this blog gives me a place to share with my family and friends, some who face similar challenges and some who don't.

Thanks for reading!

RR Log 01.20.10

Breakfast:
-breakfast sandwich with 1 egg, 1 slice turkey "bacon", 1/8 cup cheddar cheese on a whole wheat sandwich thin

Lunch:
-baby spinach salad with feta and tomatoes topped with heated leftover quinoa, sauteed veggies, black beans and sunflower seeds, drizzled with olive oil and pepper
-3/4 cup Greek-style nonfat yogurt with 1 tbsp. honey

Dinner:
-stir fry with tofu, red, yellow & orange bell peppers, snow peas, mung bean sprouts, zucchini, crimini & shitake mushrooms, onion, garlic, ginger and cooked with sesame oil, tamari sauce and a splash of peanut sauce over short grain brown rice

Snacks:
-handful of dried cranberries + spoonful of peanut butter (before gym)
-handful of mixed raw nuts: almond, pepita, walnut, cashew
-1 cup of that damned ice cream!! At least it is fat-free and relatively low-cal.... but it has a ton of sugar(!)

Drinks:
-1 cup black tea

Exercise: I made it to the Y this morning and started out with 25 minutes of running on the treadmill (+warm up and cool down= 35 on the mill) and followed that with 25 minutes of resistance training.

Notes: I think I am already over Activ Trax. Mainly, I was really annoyed to carry around a sheet of paper with me all over the gym. I feel that since I have done some training before, and I know my limits and when to push myself further, I can do alright without it. I will have to be better about doing free weights, floor work, abs and such. I have 2 friends that are certified Pilates instructors, and I am going to get some advice from them! Anyhow, abandoning Activ Trax doesn't mean I am not going to do resistance training!

DB's log 01.19.2010

Breakfast:
-Kashi Autumn Wheat cereal with 2% milk

Lunch:

-sandwich: onion bun (blech! accidentally got this) with cucumber, spinach, olives, and feta cheese

-red grapes

Dinner:

-black quinoa with greek yogurt, lime, and curry powder

Beverages:

-1 snapple peach tea (ewww..I thought it was sugar free--wrong!)

-2 glasses water

Snacks:

-3 Tbs lowfat cottage cheese

-1 banana

Exercise:  My trainer came over and got me to work after my bad, bad, baaaaad weekend of binging, boozing, and being lazy.  I did this GREAT exercise where you lay down and point your toes and then write your first and last name in the air.  Try it--it hurts so good!

Notes:  I really hate onion buns and I really hate it when a tea drink tricks me into thinking it's just tea when it's really sugar water.  The boyfriend's out of town and I'm noticing it makes me eat a lot less.  What is it about boyfriends that cause the "fat and happy" syndrome??  Anyway, very focused this week on eating right and exercising.  I had a whirlwind weekend and I can tell the difference already.  I just don't feel as good when I eat poorly and don't exercise.  Looking forward to hitting the gym tomorrow and really enjoyed my workout with the trainer tonight! 

RR Log 01.19.10

Breakfast:
-breakfast sandwich with 1 egg, 1/4 cup reduced fat cheddar, 1 slice turkey "bacon" on toasted whole wheat sandwich thin. Clocks in just under 300 calories with about 13g of fat. Take that, McMuffin! (look how many things are in the "egg!" wtf?? grossness.)

Lunch:
-leftover quinoa and veggies from last night on top of baby spinach with nonfat feta cheese.

Dinner:
-leftover roasted chicken breast with leftover roasted veggies and steamed broccoli

Drinks:
-1 cup black tea
-1 glass red wine

Snacks:
-1 banana
-Breyer's double-churned fat-free chocolate ice cream with a sprinkle of raw cashews (dessert!!! not a snack!)

Exercise: Work picked up on me again, and I knew I was going to sleep in so no gym today!

Notes: WEAKNESS!!!!!!!!!!! I felt really lethargic today, which I think has something to do with PMS + lazy/party weekend. I didn't pack enough healthy snacks to take to work today, and I *almost* caved and ate a scone at work but I stayed strong! However... after work I stopped by the grocery store since apparently I eat the hell out of bananas these days and I needed to re-stock. At the grocery store I talked myself into buying that damned ice cream telling myself it was for Matt. I then proceeded to binge on it after dinner. I then realized what I should have done was buy a nice dark chocolate bar. Live and learn! I asked Matt if I could throw away the ice cream, because I know it is going to CALL TO ME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT and he was hesitant at first but then said I could do it. So I will. Tomorrow. I swear.

RR Log 01.18.10

Brunch:
Went out to eat at my favorite place in the 'hood, Lula Cafe!
-strada with red peppers, onions, spinach, feta, tomato and other good veggie stuff. So delicious, I can't believe I haven't ordered it before!

Dinner:
-baby spinach salad toped with red quinoa, lightly sauteed zucchini, red peppers, garlic, & red onion, tomatoes, nonfat feta cheese and 1/4 avocado. Drizzled with olive oil, salt & pepper (pictured below)



Drinks:
-1 bloody mary
-2 cups black tea

Snacks:
-handful or raw mixed nuts: almond, cashew, sunflower seeds, pepitas
-1 banana
-small bowl of leftover spaghetti with parmesan
-1/2 cup nonfat Greek style yogurt with honey

Exercise: 25 minutes on treadmill, varying intensity. I had my strength test today, which means I did low reps with the most weight I could do. Not really a workout, but I bet I will be sore tomorrow!

Notes: There will have to be a post dedicated to this Activ Trax mess! Basically I think the workout guide might help, but I took a look online at their "nutrition" guide and was pretty much disheartened by what I saw! Clearly they are paying dues to some major junk food corporations.... which is unfortunate and immediately makes me think I might be better on my own. However, I did appreciate having a guide to show me all of the different machines at the gym, and I am excited to try them out! I will write a post on Activ Trax soon after I try it out more.

RR Log 01.17.10

Breakfast:
-sprouted grains english muffin with almond butter
-1 banana

Lunch:
-small bowl of leftover spaghetti
-large salad with beets, mushrooms, red onion, walnuts & Goddess dressing
-one small slice of multigrain baguette

Dinner:
-roasted chicken, breast meat (and yes I ate some of the fantastic, though pure fat, crispy skin)
-roasted potatoes, carrots, parsnips, onions & garlic

Snacks:
-Boca spicy "chicken" patty with mustard and 1/4 avocado on whole wheat sandwich thin
-crackers and plain hummus
-4 small squares of dark chocolate with orange

Drinks:
-1 cups black tea
-3 glasses red wine

Exercise: Nope.

Notes: I did entertain thoughts of a date with my YMCA.... but tomorrow is my first day off in 6 days, and we have a pal in town. No gym for me today! I do have my strength test tomorrow night, and plan to go in early and do my cardio before. I am excited about beginning weight training again!

I have definitely indulged a little this weekend. I don't feel worried about it, though I am ready to get back to a more disciplined diet this week! I do feel good that I made it to the gym 4 times this week, even if I wasn't doing much. I am trying to ease into it, and not overdo it!

RR Log 01.16.10

Breakfast:
-2 eggs scrambled with black beans & reduced fat mexi-blend cheese topped with salsa

Lunch:
-Wow. Work really picked up on me today and I wasn't prepared, so I didn't eat lunch. YIKES!

Dinner:
-whole wheat spaghetti with Matt's homemade meatballs (3) topped with parmesan cheese of course
-salad with romaine, spinach, mushrooms, walnuts, red onion & Goddess dressing
-1 piece whole grain baguette

Drinks:
-2 cups black tea
-3 glasses white wine

Snacks:
-wheat thin baked crisps with plain and black bean hummus (kind of a lot of this)
-3/4 cup Greek-style yogurt
-1 banana
-2 squares dark chocolate with mint

Exercise: Yeah.... not so much.

Notes:
I cannot believe I missed lunch today! I only had that yogurt and a banana with me at work. I am really glad I at least brought those! We had a couple of friends over for Matt's birthday tonight, hence the spaghetti and meatballs and vino. We had a good time! I thought I was really out of control yesterday but looking back I didn't do too bad. The thing I am proud of is that when I came home hungry from work to an apartment full of boys sleeping, the kitchen a wreck, and delivery pizza on the table- I somehow did not eat the pizza. I was sooooo close to eating it. So close. Instead I had a shovelful of crackers with hummus. Woo!

Programming Note for DB

DB meeting JB, 1985

My sister is in town this weekend!  We usually only see each other a few times a year, so getting together always mean a little celebrating.  This distance may change soon though as this trip is to help her figure out if she wants to move up here to Chicago.

So far on the to-do list: a few meals out on the town, some bar hopping, a board game party with snacks and booze, an event with a bake sale, and, fortunately for me, a full day of hiking down at Starved Rock State Park.  It's going to be a challenging weekend trying to have fun with my sister like I always do when we're together, and also trying stay focused on my fitness goals.   You will very likely see a lot more booze items under my "Beverages" log this weekend.  Just sayin'.

The hike should be great though, and I will be making a conscious effort to not go nuts with my food choices.  Although within about 20 minutes of my sister's arrival last night she said to me, "I think this trip I should finally try a Chicago hot dog."  

Eep! :-)

DB's log 01.14.2010

Breakfast:

-two egg white omelet with wilted spinach

-1/2 cup cottage cheese

Lunch:

-Whole Foods hot bar, although I can't list everything I got...I stuck to very small portions of the healthiest looking things:  sesame kale, green beans, lentils, wild rice, couscous, quinoa, chickpeas.  It only weighed 0.5 lbs.

-1 goddamn good banana (read notes)

Snacks:

-2 Indian chakri snacks

-a few tortilla chips with salsa

-the crust off my sister's grilled cheese sandwich (desperate!)

-1 ginger chew

Dinner:

-squid with rice, cabbage salad, and (gulp) fried plantains

-a few chips with salsa

-a few sips of soy oatmeal shake

Beverages: 

-2 glasses of water

-small green tea latte with skim milk and a little sugar

-a few sips of a terrible butterscotch truffle martini I made

Exercise:  I failed.  I attempted to get up this morning and do some of my routines I've learned from my trainer but I was so sore I couldn't push my way through it.  I only worked out for about 5 minutes before giving up.  I legitimately was sore to the point of wincing anytime I stood up or sat down or went up or down stairs today, so maybe I shouldn't be so hard on myself.

Notes:  HOL-Y CRAP, all I could think about this morning was bananas.  Bananas, bananas, bananas.  Finally at lunch I ate one and it was GREAT!  I was suspicious about this intense craving though so I googled "banana muscles" (HA!) and it turns out that the potassium in bananas helps with muscle cramping (which can be attributed to low potassium intake).  Read more here.  I didn't do as well today...we ate dinner at Irazu and it was hard for me to find something healthy to eat and to avoid the chips.  I did a better job at watching my chip intake that I thought I would though.  I'm from Texas...gorging on a big pile of greasy chips is inherently part of my culture.  All the snacking I did was at night, which I think was a result of not snacking throughout the day.  I also did not drink nearly enough water, which isn't good for my poor sore muscles!

RR Log 01.15.10

Breakfast:
-1 egg scrambled with red pepper, red onion, & zucchini on top of sweet potatoes and black beans

Lunch:
-Leftovers mish-mash! Quinoa salad (from like, last week...) with wilted spinach, sweet potatoes and a Nature's Bakery veggie burger. Microwaved that mess and mashed it up in a bowl. Not the best but economical it is indeed.

Dinner:
We went out to eat at Urban Belly.
-Rice cake with chicken and mango
-1 lamb & brandy dumpling (steamed)
-1 duck with pho spices dumpling (fried)
-about 9 pieces of steamed edamame that came with the dumplings

Drinks:
-2 cups black tea
-1 glass white wine
-1 tequila with soda water

Snacks:
-handful of dried cranberries & 1 tbsp. peanut butter (before workout, see notes!)
-nonfat Greek-style yogurt with fresh strawberries and lavender honey
-1 banana
-handful of chips & salsa

Exercise: 45 minutes on the treadmill. Except for my warm-up and cool-down, I kept my heart rate at 150-170 by doing intervals of running like a freak, walking fast on an incline (when I set the incline to 3 and the speed to 4 I found my heart rate stayed constant at 150) with a few periods of 'rest.' I made sure to do a thorough cool-down. I honestly have never been much of a runner, and it felt really good today. I am hoping that I can get into good shape by the time it thaws out there so I can run outside (maybe??). I have cold-weather aggravated asthma so I avoid sporting outdoors with all my power these days.

Notes: AH HA!!! I followed DB's trainer's lead and tried dried cranberries and a spoonful of peanut butter before my workout this morning, and it worked great! I had the energy to really sweat it out on the treadmill, without feeling too empty or too full. Yay! We have friends in town and it is my boyfriend's birthday, so we are celebrating this weekend. Hence the rich dinner and tequila drink. I have been so good for so long I have no remorse about my dining out, it helps that I went to the gym yesterday too.

RR Log 01.14.10

Breakfast:
-egg & cheese sandwich: one egg, 1/4 cup reduced fat cheddar, 1 whole wheat sandwich thin

Lunch:
-tuna salad on a bed of baby spinach: canned tuna with low fat mayo, dried cranberries, pecans, 1/4 avocado, salt & pepper

Dinner:
-sweet potato baked "fries" with olive oil, salt & pepper topped with black beans, onions, red peppers, salsa and avocado

Drinks:
-2 cups black tea
-1 glass sparkling water

Snacks:
-pita chips with leftover tuna salad from lunch
-1.5 cups stove-popped popcorn with salt & pepper

Exercise: 20 minute walk outside. Eh, not much!

"Yogurt is the Official Food of Women."

I was noticing how much yogurt we have been eating, and it reminded me of this hilarious video....

DB's log 01.13.2010

Breakfast:
-Steel cut Irish oats with blueberries and chia seeds, topped with a little milk
-1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese

Lunch:

-leftover crab salad

-Fage Greek yogurt with cherry

Snacks:

-2 1/2 Wasa multigrain crackers

-8 raw almonds

-2 Indian chakri snacks

Dinner:

-Coolio's "Mermaid Steaks:" tuna steaks marinated in soy sauce, olive oil, lime, onion, and garlic; grilled, then topped with pomegranate seeds. (Surprisingly quite good!)

-Turkish cucumber salad: cucumbers, onions, parsley, olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper

Beverages:
-Earl Grey tea with whole milk and 2 sugar-in-the-raws
-3 glasses of water

Exercise:  I'm proud to say I'm the McCormick Tribune YMCA's newest member as of this morning!  R and I hit up the treadmills together...unfortunately I had to cut my run just short of 20 minutes because the sign-up took longer than I thought and I was running late to work.  But I ran up any and all stairs encountered and I wore these stupid high-heel boots today that were a workout in and of themselves.

Notes:  I *think* I've lost about a pound, if my new scale is correct.  I'll feel more confident about this after tomorrow morning's weigh-in.  Wasn't feeling too sore today until just a few hours ago; I'm sure tomorrow will be killer.  But in a masochistic twist of fate, I actually really enjoy the feeling of being sore now.  It reminds me that I got a good workout and it proves to me that what I'm doing is actually changing my body (even if I can only perceive that change as ouchiness.)

RR Log 01.13.10

Breakfast:
-1 cup Optimum blueberry cinnamon cereal with nonfat milk

Lunch:
-leftover white bean and kale soup
-1 whole wheat sandwich thin toasted and topped with 1/4 of an avocado & salt
-1 banana

Dinner:
-small gluten-free pizza crust (brown rice flour) piled high with zucchini, spinach, red peppers, onion, tomatoes, garlic, mushrooms, olive oil, fresh rosemary & oregano, salt & pepper, dusted with parmesan cheese

Drinks:
-1 cup black tea
-1 white wine spritzer

Snacks:
-1 cup Greek style yogurt drizzled with the most amazing lavender honey. I think this honey was spun by angels. So good!
-1 cup fresh strawberries and cantaloupe
-pita chips & plain hummus

Exercise: My workout was chopped up this morning at the gym for various reasons- 10 minutes elliptical, 25 minutes on the treadmill, varying intensity. Used the incline function on the treadmill- never have before. Also, my butt hurts today. Just sayin'.

Notes: Still trying to work out what I should do about eating in the morning before hitting the gym. I had the cereal about 20 minutes before working out and it gave me a small cramp. I was also tired today, I had a restless sleep and I think I had my tea too late in the day. I tried to read up on the the question of eating before working out. It looks like I should stick with something light. Just trying to figure out what works for me!

It is about 8pm now, and I feel exhausted. I realize I didn't have enough fluids today. Usually I drink water all day but today not so much. Bad Robin! I think this is why when it came to dinner time, I just gave over and ate my entire "pizza." In the end, it really wasn't too bad calorie-wise due to all the veggies, but I still would guess my dinner clocked in around 600 calories. The crust itself was 420, and I am guessing the rest. I am definitely going to ride this carbohydrate bomb into a sweet snooze very soon....

RR Log 01.12.10

Breakfast:
-1 banana
-2 eggs scrambled with tomatoes, onion and leftover salmon

Lunch:
-spinach salad with beets, walnuts, manomin, goat cheese & olive oil as dressing

Dinner:
-1 plain Nature's Bakery veggie burger (brought home from Madison, wish I could buy them here!!)
-green beans
-rest of leftover salmon from last night

Snacks:
-pita chips & black bean hummus (I even counted out the chips, 100 calories worth. BAM!)

Drinks:
-2 cups black tea
-1.5 Makers on the rocks

Exercise: Today I went to the gym before work. I did 35 minutes on the elliptical, varying intensity. Then I spent another 15 minutes walking on the treadmill. I went bowling tonight- does that count? If so, any effort was surely negated by the Makers Mark....

Notes: SO HAPPY I made it to the gym before work. The Y is so magical around 8am. By magical I mean it isn't crowded! YAY. Yes, I stopped by the front desk and asked them to calibrate the scales! I also set up an appointment for next Monday night to meet with someone at the gym to do a strength test so I can try using Active Trax. I find that I enjoy starting out my day with a workout, and the most challenging part seems to be getting up early enough to do it. Also, I hate exercising on an empty stomach. Shit, I hate having an empty stomach in general! Today I had a banana and half of my tea before working out and felt Ok. The other day when we went to the gym I had my full breakfast before going and I was sweating! I had so much energy to burn and that was the best. So, I will have to make a better effort to get up earlier, unless I can find a good, quick pre-a.m. workout snack that will get me moving like my Sunday workout!

DB's log 01.12.2010

Breakfast:
-Steel cut Irish oats with blueberries, chia seeds, topped with 1 Tbs milk

Lunch:
-leftover Green Minestrone soup, with chia seeds added

Snacks:
-2 wasa multigrain crispbreads
-15 raw almonds

-1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese

Dinner:

-crab salad: spinach, arugula, basil, crab meat, onions, oil and vinegar

Beverages:
-3 glasses water
-ice tea

Exercise:  second workout with my personal trainer and she kicked my booty once again.  We concentrated on the legs tonight with step-ups, hindu squats, mule kicks, and these devilish toe tapping things that I don't know the name of.  I promised my trainer I'd do cardio 3 times before I see her next Tuesday.

Notes:  Today was the first day I really made a concentrated effort on eating right...I've always told people I'm a pretty healthy eater for the most part, but it took this blog to make me aware of the fact that I give myself exceptions quite often.  By the way, that crab salad I made for dinner, believe it or not, is a recipe by COOLIO from his new cookbook, Cooking with Coolio.  It took 5 mins to make and was very filling and very healthy.  Shakazulu!!  I'll post the recipe soon.

Week One

Well, I have exactly 1 week of "dieting" behind me! While I know that the ultimate goal I am working towards is living healthfully, I do have weight to lose... and I can't do that just doing what I've been doing. I have to step it up a notch! So I have been eating not only better, but a lot less than usual. I think portion control is one of my biggest issues, and I feel like I have been managing my appetite successfully thus far. I know when I drink too much I will over-snack. I know I need a good protein-rich breakfast. I know if I have caffeine after 3 I will have trouble sleeping well. I know if I am stressed those sugary treats really look good...... and I know that booze looks pretty good all the time! Everyone is different and learning what I really need is the challenge.

While DB and I were at the YMCA on Sunday we "weighed in." I used the same scale that I used the first day of my dieting. It reflected a weight loss of 2 lbs. Yay! Now, on the other hand, we also tried the scale upstairs at the YMCA, which calculated 4 lbs. lighter than the downstairs scale! I weighed in on the same scale both times, so I feel the loss is real, but this had both of wondering just what the hell we actually weigh. I think next time I visit the gym (tomorrow??....) I am going to ask them to calibrate the scales. While I know my weight is not as important as how I feel, it would be nice to know!

I have to say that this blog is tremendously motivating. I am happy to have met you, DB!

P.S. I should probably mention this "weigh-in" happened before the epic brunch!

RR Log 01.11.10

Breakfast:
-finally, the last of the tofu scramble!
-1/3 baked sweet potato

Lunch:
-more leftover quinoa from dinner Friday, heated with fresh baby spinach mixed in
-1/3 baked sweet potato

Dinner:
-3/4 cup manomin
-small bowl of white bean and kale soup
-pan seared salmon with lemon, salt & pepper

Drinks:
-3 cups black tea (it's Monday Ok?)
-1 glass of red wine

Snacks:
-1 banana
-1.5 cups of mixed almonds, cashews and dried cranberries

Exercise:
I was up a lot later than expected last night, which led to sleeping later this morning :( I am determined to get up and at 'em tomorrow and hit the gym before work!

Notes:
As you can tell, when I cook I always have leftovers, and I actually try to plan for it so my lunches are covered. The other night when I made a baked sweet potato I went ahead and cooked an extra one, knowing I love sweet potatoes and can tack them onto almost any meal for some sweetness. I also know if I get tired of it or don't feel like eating it, my dog Rosie absolutely loves it! I feel good about baking them and not adding anything to them. I usually make sweet potato "fries" by baking cut slivers with olive oil, salt & pepper. While also healthy, as I am dieting I am trying to minimize fat in my cooking and I have a tendency to let the olive oil flow.... must be those Italian roots! Also, this was my first time trying manomin, and it was really good!

DB log 01.11.2010

Breakfast:
-Steel cut Irish Oats with blueberries, chia seeds, and a touch of milk and honey

Lunch:

-grilled chicken sandwich with avocado and monterey jack cheese

-lettuce with oil and vinegar

Dinner:

-white bean burrito with salsa verde and monterey jack cheese

-mexican red rice (but made with nutritionally supreme brown rice!)

-vegetarian, low-fat refried beans

Snacks:
-Greek-style yogurt w/ peach

-Indian Chakri snacks (5 or 6)

Beverages:
-half-caf coffee with whole milk and honey
-3-4 glasses of water

Exercise:  still have a friend visiting from out of town and this afternoon after work we did a lot of sightseeing, and thus, walking and tons of it.

Notes: O-M-G...Greek yogurt is the most delicious thing I've ever had EVER. Why am I just now discovering this??  Dairy note: went a little crazy with the cheese today.  Don't feel like doing that again.

RR Log 01.10.10

Breakfast:
-sprouted grains english muffin toasted with almond butter

Lunch:
-poached egg in a thick tomato sauce with grated parmesan
-salad
-small chunk of crusty wheat bread
-1/2 cup of grits
-fruit salad
-piece of Dutch Baby with fig jam
-piece of King Cake

Dinner:
-roasted chicken
-roasted root vegetables
-1/2 cup of grits

Drinks:
-black tea
-mimosas
-white wine spritzers

Snacks:
-banana
-cheese and crackers

Exercise:
-30 minutes elliptical, high intensity

Notes:
Sooooo I went to a friend's for brunch and it turned into an all day affair! I was sipping on drinks throughout the day but also water to balance it out. The glasses were these tiny baby juice glasses, so it was hard to keep track, and I didn't try to hard. The King Cake was definitely something I could have done without eating BUT it was from New Orleans and my cousin brought it back with her and so, in the spirit of Mardi Gras, I pretty much HAD to eat it. Alas, I did not find the baby!!! I thought it would be a really challenging day, being at someone else's house all day, but it wasn't so bad. There was good healthy food around for snacking, and again, those glasses were soooo tiny I think I did alright!

Healthy Recipes: Green Minestrone

(photo credit: Food Network)

This is a recipe I adapted from a Rachel Ray book, taking out a call for pancetta to make it more healthy (and more vegetarian, especially if you use veggie broth). I also adjusted the amounts of some of the veggies. This soup is great for dinner or lunch and it leaves you feeling full, but in a healthy way because you're consuming so many vegetables...which are also quite energizing!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
1 medium onion, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
4 large cloves garlic, crushed
1 medium zucchini, diced
2 bay leaves, fresh or dried
1 can white beans, cannellini
1 can garbanzo beans, ceci
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 cups chicken or veggie broth
1 cup ditalini pasta or some other small pasta
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
10 ounces triple washed spinach, stems removed and coarsely chopped, or any other dark greens
fresh sliced Parmigiano-Reggiano
12 to 16 leaves fresh basil, torn or shredded or 1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves

Directions
Heat a soup pot over medium high heat with oil. Add onions, celery, garlic, zucchini and bay leaves to the pot. Season vegetables with salt and pepper, to your taste. Saute vegetables 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add white beans, garbanzo beans and chicken broth to the pot. Cover soup and bring to a boil. Add pasta and green beans to the soup and cook 8 minutes, or until pasta is just tender. Stir in spinach to wilt, 1 minute. Top soup with torn or shredded basil or chopped parsley and Parmigiano-Reggiano slices.

DB's log 01.10.2010

Breakfast:
-two sunny-side up eggs
-1 organic frozen waffle with honey

Snack:
-7 raw almonds
-Indian Chakri snacks (about 5 or 6)
-2 crackers with peanut butter

Dinner:
-Homemade green minestrone soup
-1 rye dinner roll (with the teeniest dab of butter)

Beverages:
-1 cup hot green tea
-4 glasses water

Exercise: RR and I hit up the YMCA together for the first time today...woohoo! As per my personal trainer's advice, I did 20 minutes straight cardio on the treadmill, with 5 minutes of warm-up time on either side.

Notes: No lunch today...we had a late breakfast and saved our appetite for a big dinner. I had to endure watching my boyfriend eat pistachio ice cream after dinner and not have any myself, but to be honest I'm really glad I did that. We tend to always eat something sweet after dinner out of habit but not because we're really hungry and I'm sure it's contributed to my current predicament.

RR Log 01.09.10

Breakfast:
-8oz. smoothie (carrot, pineapple, banana, raw ginger, OJ)
-rye toast with 3/4 wedge laughing cow light cheese

Lunch:
-leftover quinoa "salad" from dinner last night
-1/4 baked sweet potato
-tofu scramble (still from the other day)
-lettuce & spinach salad with mustard dressing

Dinner:
-Went out to eat with a friend at Treat and had 1 samosa (not great) and the salmon (didn't eat the dhokla, kind of dry)

Snacks:
-3/4 cup fat-free greek style yogurt with blueberries
-6 dark chocolate covered soy beans
-10 almonds

Beverages:
-2 cups black tea
-2 glasses red wine (Estimate, tiny glasses at Treat, which was BYOB. We split a bottle and I have wine leftover!)
-cocktail at the Whistler. I don't remember what it was and they do not have the winter cocktail menu online, but it was good. Ginger in it. Kind of sweet but good.

Exercise: HA HA HA.

Notes: That smoothie I make in the morning is awesome! It makes me feel majorly refreshed. I think it has something to do with the shitload of raw ginger I put in it. Also, I am going to stop listing water under my beverages, because really, I just drink it all day and don't keep track!

Tonight was my first social eating out. I think I did pretty good. My friend Clare just got back from a 3-week trip to Abu Dhabi, India and wherever-the-fuck else so we had to take her out and get her re-acclimated. Thus, cocktails at the Whistler! Oh, and I had some piece of chocolate Clare brought from who-knows-where. Pretty good. Caramel in it....

DB's log 01.09.2010

Breakfast:
-~5 bites Kashi cereal with hemp milk and chia seeds (shared a bowl)
-1 Immaculate Baking Co. All Natural blueberry scone (home baked, only 200 calories)

Lunch:
-16oz size (regular) of Rosemary Chicken Dumpling soup from Soupbox
-multi-grain roll
-half a regular sized protein berry smoothie from Jamba Juice

Dinner:
-shared vegetarian Ethiopian spread with injera bread
-various Indian burfee and chum chum desserts (everybody tried a little)

Snacks:
-half a chocolate toffee cookie (boyfriends and their sweet tooths...)
-1 ginger chew

Beverages:
-hot tropical black tea
-small decaf latte with skim milk
-unsweetened masala chai
-unsweetened Ethiopian chai
-2 glasses water

Exercise: I spent the day walking around the city and we took the stairs as often as we could. Woke up so sore today I could barely move all morning. Soreness is feeling much better after all the walking I did so I'm looking forward to hitting the treadmill at the gym tomorrow.

Notes: Realizing how many temptations there are in this town and how weak I am to them (especially on the weekends). I think this is how I got here in the first place. I'm so thankful we're doing these food logs. It's a big g.d. reality check when it comes down to it. I will likely write a blog post on this matter in the coming days.

My first personal training experience EVARRR!

I hired a personal trainer...something I've been wanting to do for a long time. I know zilch about fitness and after many failed attempts at trying to be a regular "excersizer" I decided hiring someone to lead the way was most fail-proof solution.

I found my trainer on Craigslist. She actually comes to your home to train you, which at first I couldn't wrap my head around the concept that I was going to burn calories from just hanging out in my living room. Boy oh boy, was I wrong.

She came over and got straight to taking my measurements (I'll post more on this later) and then put me right to work. I purchased a pair of 2lb and 5lb hand weights and an exercise mat, and with just those few things I got a work out like I've never had before. She had me on the floor, up in the air, and everywhere in between. I worked up a sweat and my heart was racing. The cats hung out to view the torture and seemed to enjoy witnessing it.

After an hour of push-ups, burpees, squats, lunges, weight-lifting, planks, and much more, my ass was officially kicked. I haven't been able to lift my arms since the work out and every muscle in my body is sore...according to my trainer that's great news.

I really loved it, even though it was hard. It was great having her there to push me to keep going where normally I would stop if I were on my own. We're going to meet once a week and I'll have homework in between. She's very confident I will get the results I want so long as I keep at it...but most importantly she wants to help me develop regular habits of exercising and eating right.

And from this, I'm confident it's the best investment I've made in myself, ever.

DB's log 01.08.2010

Breakfast:
-two scrambled eggs with 1 Tbs chia seeds and 1 Tbs salsa

Lunch:
-salad: romaine, kidney beans, corn, hard boiled eggs, carrots, celery, sprouts, crutons, green olives, balsamic vinegar, olive oil
-1/2 cup cottage cheese with a few blueberries, grapes, and pineapple (YUM!!!)

"Snack:"
-2 dove chocolates (my boss brought them to a meeting)

Dinner:
-piece of duck confit quesadilla appetizer
-clam chowder with potatoes, leeks, and clams-in-shell
-pretzel roll
-a couple of sweet potato fries with curry ketchup (damn it with the fries).

Beverages:
-4 glasses water
-1 glass ice tea with 1 tsp honey
-1 glass pinot gris at dinner
-1 "21st century" cocktail from the Whistler after dinner...it was some gin, coffee bitters, lemon concoction.

Exercise: Much too sore to do any exercise and in fact my trainer advised me against it. But I took the stairs all day at work (three flights to my office!) and trudged through the snow at least 2 miles or so over the course of the day.

Notes: Tonight I will again be challenged by social "eating-out" pressure as we're getting dinner with some friends who want to try the new menu at Goose Island Brewpub. Apparently the new menu is more 'gastropub' in nature, meaning a higher quality cuisine than what you typically get at a bar. My goal tonight is salmon and NO FRIES!

Update: No salmon on the menu at Goose Island and boy howdy it was hard to not overeat with all the food we had at the table. My main course was a very fresh and surprisingly light clam chowder. The cocktail I had at The Whistler after dinner appeared to be low in sugar (wasn't too sweet)...it was funny thinking that I'd have to jot down my Friday night drinks in this blog later. Definitely kept me from getting a second round as to not look like a lush. :-)

RR Log 01.08.10

Breakfast:
-tofu scramble (leftovers from yesterday, I always make too much!)
-1 piece rye toast dry

Lunch:
-black eyed peas (STILL leftovers!!!)
-1/2 cup inca red quinoa
-lettuce salad with mustard dressing
-1/3 baked sweet potato

Snack:
-10 raw almonds
-1 banana

Dinner:
-broiled pork chop
-quinoa chilled with black beans, tomatoes, red pepper & leftover pork marinade as "dressing"

Beverages:
-2 cups black tea
-H2O
-2 glasses white wine (Hey, it's FRIDAY!!)

Exercise:
I did not make it to the gym today. I have been feeling a bit sluggish all day. I did however try my first EVER workout DVD. I streamed it from Netflix through Matt's Xbox. It was a short one, and definitely for beginners, but I will admit it had me sweating and jumping around in my living room which honestly- has never happened before. I followed it up with some tricep exercises using free weights and some extra squats. BAM!

Notes:
The dressing I am getting down on is Annie's Lite Honey Mustard Vinaigrette. I kind of splurged at dinner tonight, ate a little more than usual.... including a few chips with hummus after dinner. Not too many though! Normally, without thinking, I would have polished off all that hummus. Blame it on the wine....

RR Log 01.07.10

Breakfast:
tofu scramble with broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, bell peppers, onions and garlic.

Lunch:
cup of deeelicious homemade veggie chili
1 slice rye toast with 1 wedge Laughing Cow Light cheese
lettuce salad with balsamic dressing


Dinner:
lettuce salad with mustard dressing
1/2 baked sweet potato (nothing on it but salt & pepper)
1/2 cup cooked Inca red quinoa
1/2 cup black eyed peas (still leftovers from New Year's Day!)

Beverages:
2 cups black tea
1 cup herbal tea
H2O

Exercise:
No gym today, but I did some hardcore snow shoveling! Probably not enough to be considered a workout...

Notes:
Feeling good not only about my food choices, but most importantly for me: portion sizes! This is technically diet day 3 for me. So far so good!

Winterland Workout

This morning I got a text message from my boss letting me know that if I wanted to, I could put together the new snow plow in the garage to hit all the sidewalks (I work at a B & B, with two main buildings.) When I got to work, I opened the box and looked at it. Besides the fact that I might mess it up and put it together wrong, I had another thought: shoveling snow is probably a great workout.

So I shoveled it! All of it!! And I'll probably have to do it again! YES!!!!!

DB's log 01.07.2010

Breakfast:
-yogurt parfait with fruit, granola, and chia seeds

Lunch:
-roll with butter
-1/2 chicken salad sandwich, vinaigrette lettuce, and a *few* french fries with ketchup

Dinner:

-tempeh cooked in marinara topped with a little mozzarella cheese, half a sub roll

-kale cooked in veggie broth

Beverages:
-hot earl grey tea with tsp of half 'n half (I would have used skim but they were out!)
-ice tea with lemon, one packet raw sugar

-3 glasses of water

Exercise: uh, today was my first day with my new personal trainer.  You better believe there will be a whole individual post devoted to this.

Notes: I learned last night that an old friend of mine had a long layover in Chicago and wanted to do lunch, and before I knew it I was having a somewhat large dining experience. One thing I need to learn is control when in social settings. Everybody else was eating french fries so I wanted to eat french fries!

We are the TREADMILLIONAIRES

The purpose of this blog is to track our journey as we go from blah to bam!

We aren't grossly obese, we're likely not even chubby by most people's standards, but we could stand to lose a few. And more importantly, we're interested in developing a healthy lifestyle that will remain with us throughout our lives.

When it comes to nutrition and fitness, we have an idea of what's right and what's wrong, but we haven't acted upon those suspicions enough to create a habit out of healthy living. Our bodies could be better, and that's enough for us join together and see what we can become.